question for LOZ guys

got a buddy that has been at LOZ all wk catching lots of fish off the bank near brush. today he sends me a video of a guy throwing rocks at them and cussing them for fishing "his" brush pile. they are in a boat about 30 yds off the bank not touching anything, just sitting and casting. i know i saw yall talking bout ppl getting mad about walking on their docks and i get that, but does this stuff happen often up there? i mean do ppl really think they can put a tree in the water and nobody else fish it?

People always amaze me, good and bad. For every idiot like the one describe are two or more good folks that will help fishermen catch more fish. This forum is one clear example of sharing the knowledge to help others figure it out in their area. Thanks fishermen!

I have never had one throw rocks. Can't tell you the number of times folks will come down on their dock and start fishing just before you get to their dock or after you have caught one. Had a guy last year stop mowing his lawn and walk out on his dock. He says, " I don't want you fishing around my dock". I inquired why and he said, "That is where I fish". I told him that Although owned by Ameren, LOZ was open for the public to fish. The Lake would get pretty small if no one could fish a certain radius around each dock. I also let him know that if he was fishing I would not have stopped to fish around his dock. He did not care much for my response, but went back to his mowing.

Pulled a slab off a dock and immediately the old lady that lives there comes down and starts fishing right where I caught it. She didn't really say anything, but that happens a lot.

We did have a growly old fart come out and cuss at us last year for catching all "his fish". We each flipped in a couple more times dragging out another 4 fish on 4 casts then left.

People amaze me. Its against the law to harass a law abiding sportsman.. I know if some one threw rocks at me..It would be on...meaning the law would be called...thats just ridiculous...but it doeasnt really surprise me anymore.....You used to be able to hunt your neighbors land but that has went bye bye and now they are trying to keep us from fishing...wow!

The other side of the coin is not pretty either. Both Paul and I have watched people in boats position the boat so it cuts off the people from the bank fishing the brush pile first. I can not blame them for being mad. I have not had any real problems on LOZ a couple of time people have asked me to not fish their docks no problem kept moving along. I see not nice people on both sides thankfully not very often.

Takes all kinds, guess he thought the guys in the boat could move and he could not, or maybe he was just a grumpy ole coot. what ever, we fish around all kinds of bank fisherman on Stockton at certain times of the year and to a boat we give them there spot. easy to get along if you try. well except for me, I don't want any one closer than 2 in. from me.... but that is just me.

I am courteous to dock owners and respect their property and won't camp out or fish if some one is there or comes down I move on. If he wasn't fishing they should have called the Game Warden. I have been told personally that if someone threatens you or does like this gentleman did they will get a ticket or taken to jail depending on the situation.

Another reason why I don't fish LOZ on weekends

i would have been polite, moved on, and that video would have been with the DNR that day. that video alone is going to get him a ticket at the minimum...if the rocks are hitting the boat, the DNR would probably be at his house ASAP.

If i fished there a lot, any time i was harrassed about not fishing someones dock etc, i would be polite, respectful and if the first explanation like the one above to the guy mowing didn't work, id just move on but report them, their description and their dock number.

on the other side of it, those dock owners probably put up with all kinds of stuff so id be as light as I could about it....life is to short and there are 80,000 other docks.

I fish people's docks like this on purpose... Just for being pricks. They don't own the fish, get over it. If you put brush under your dock in this day and age, with side-scan electronics, etc, you may as well just expect it. Better yet, put ropes, chains, and boards all over the front of your slip to advertise to every crappie fisherman that drives by that you have brush under there. Too many guys know how to shoot docks now days. Only takes a 6" gap in the encapsulated to get plum up in the middle of the well.

PS - I've fished this same douche-bags dock mentioned in the original post. He's off his freaking rocker. Never even caught a fish around it. Maybe threw in there 4-5 times. He came out cussing me and flipping me the bird. BUT, I can guarantee you I'll fish that SOB every time I'm near it, and wear it the hell out if there are fish around it, just because he's an ass.

Rather than throw rocks the guy should hang a sign warning folks that his septic system is currently overflowing.:yikes

Electrocution Risk ! Stay Away ! :)

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Originally Posted by NateD

PS - I've fished this same douche-bags dock mentioned in the original post. He's off his freaking rocker. Never even caught a fish around it. Maybe threw in there 4-5 times. He came out cussing me and flipping me the bird. BUT, I can guarantee you I'll fish that SOB every time I'm near it, and wear it the hell out if there are fish around it, just because he's an ass.

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Where is it located?

I was fishing one recently that had a BIG sign that said smile your on live camera. I smiled real big everytime I pulled one out from under their pontoon lift.

Just off main lake near the Glaize.

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Originally Posted by LOZ Targa

I was fishing one recently that had a BIG sign that said smile your on live camera. I smiled real big everytime I pulled one out from under their pontoon lift.

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My guess is that the sign was more to deter thieves and vandals than fishermen. S/He was probably fine with you harvesting fish from below their pontoon.

Maybe not, but...

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Originally Posted by Joedog

My guess is that the sign was more to deter thieves and vandals than fishermen. S/He was probably fine with you harvesting fish from below their pontoon.

Maybe not, but...

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That was my thoughts too. I looked everywhere and never saw a camera.

Plenty of docks on LOZ. If you run across someone like this, best to just motor on to the next one. I have seen a lot of people just get out on docks to retrieve their jig or dip for fish just over the lift arms. I'm sure that they see a lot of this. Doesn't give them the right to throw rocks but your no better when you get to arguing with them. Just sayin...

I just can't agree with those of you who say you should just move on. I get the respect thing, I never pull up on somebody fishing from the bank or off a dock. I've been the guy without a boat before. However, dock owners don't own the water under their dock anymore than you or I do - just my two cents. They can get butt hurt all they want because they put brush in, or whatever, but that's just the way it is. It's a public lake open for public fishing without restrictions except for around the dams. I wouldn't get upset if I sunk brush somewhere other than a dock and pulled up on somebody fishing it. Besides, how much shoreline at LOZ can you even fish that doesn't have docks on it? If every dock owner got irritated at people fishing around their docks and they left, the only place you could fish would be the Glaize and up the river in spots.

Now, if somebody gets off on the dock, that's a whole different story. That IS private property, and I can understand a dock owner having an issue with that.

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Originally Posted by Back Water

Plenty of docks on LOZ. If you run across someone like this, best to just motor on to the next one. I have seen a lot of people just get out on docks to retrieve their jig or dip for fish just over the lift arms. I'm sure that they see a lot of this. Doesn't give them the right to throw rocks but your no better when you get to arguing with them. Just sayin...

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What's wrong with dipping for fish over lift arms?

As a dock owner I haven't and wouldn't challenge an angler. I've done the opposite at times and talked with fishermen about the bite that day. Just one angler to another. I don't run out of the house to talk, just if I'm already in the yard. HOWEVER, what makes me mad is to jump in the boat one morning and find a hook buried in my boat seat, 20 feet of line, with split shot and bobber all wrapped around the console.

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Originally Posted by Lil Baby

What's wrong with dipping for fish over lift arms?

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Nothing wrong with that...unless your standing out on a private dock. I've hoisted plenty of fish over lift arms, through cracks in the dock, over cables. You bet. I was just saying that if you get out of your boat on the dock, your wrong. Its called trespassing. I've had many dock owners sit on their docks and talk to you as you work your way around it and I've had plenty cuss you the whole way. I know of docks that have beds all the way around them even out in front a good cast from the dock. I hit them every chance I get. I think some of the dock owners that tie the trees or brush to the dock (dead give away by the way) think since its tied to the dock, its part of the dock. Don't know, don't care. For me, if there is somebody throwing rocks, ill just ease on down the lake. Not enough time to fish anyway so i don't need to spend it being aggravated at someone.